Apr 28, 2020
Creating a Brand to Grow Your Influence
“It’s all about being authentic in whatever outlet you choose. That’s part of your authenticity. Be where you want to be and focus on the outlets that speak to you.”
- Laura Bull -
Laura Bull is an experienced marketer and published author who helps individuals and businesses define their brand.
She started her career in the music business working for Sony for over ten years. She worked her way up the corporate latter until she became the head of marketing and artist development at RCA Records, where she helped brand different artists and their faces, as opposed to RCA as a recording company.
Laura worked with influencers before they were even called influencers and since has been on a crusade to redefine the term. According to Laura, an influencer is anybody who is selling themselves as the face of the product.
“An Influencer is only successful if they can influence their audience to their perceived notions of the world.” - Laura Bull
Only you can define what success means to you.
Laura uses a brand matrix in a Venn diagram that includes your product, image, and narrative. Where the three connect is where you’ll find your cohesive brand pillars. They need to work together to create a successful long-term brand.
What’s the difference between marketing and branding?
Marketing focuses on a short term campaign, while branding is what you want to say over the next 20 years. Whatever you’re selling today vs. what you want to say 20 years from now needs to be consistent. You need to be the same person and the same brand because you need to stand by who you really are the core of your business.
Find a shared identity with your audience.
What are the shared morals, values, or beliefs will others relate with? When you pinpoint that shared belief, you can begin to create a long-term brand. You’re not going to please everybody, so it’s essential to focus on the people you do have a shared identity with, and from there, you can build a bigger audience.
When you figure out what your brand is, then it opens up an infinite amount of marketing possibilities.
Focus on the authenticity of what you’re trying to say.
The really successful people in life adopt what Laura calls the Five P’s. These include Power, Positivity, Passion, Purpose, and Perseverance.
Passion and perseverance work together to create grit or the ability to endure hardship in order to be successful.
“You have to look within yourself before you look outward.”
- Laura Bull
If you look inward, you are already unique. So it’s imperative to identify your personality traits, strengths, and skills that define your purpose. Separate your passion from your purpose. For example, someone may not always invest in a passion, but they will invest in a purpose.
You can find Laura’s book, From Individual to Empire: A Guide to Building an Authentic and Powerful Brand, on Amazon by clicking here or look for her on Facebook or Instagram.
Autographed copies of her book are available at www.laurabull.com.
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